EDTA Applauds House Support for Electric Drive Vehicles

Comprehensive Strategy Key to Creating Green Jobs and Reducing Oil Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

WASHINGTON, February 3, 2009: The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) today applauded the House for its support of electric drive vehicles in the stimulus bill it passed, and called on the Senate to add provisions to reach and exceed President Obama's goal of 1 million fuel-efficient plug-in electric drive vehicles by 2015.

"The stimulus bill is a historic opportunity to accelerate the electrification of America's transportation sector, create green jobs and reduce our oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions," said EDTA President Brian Wynne. "The House provided critical support for battery manufacturing, recharging infrastructure and electric drive vehicle deployments in the U.S. We are optimistic that the Senate will add further provisions needed for a comprehensive strategy for the development, manufacturing, deployment and adoption of these vehicles and technology."

EDTA urges the Senate to provide additional investment for electric drive vehicle manufacturing in the U.S., expansion of the consumer credit ceiling for the purchase of plug-in electric drive vehicles and greater investment in accelerating electric drive technology.

EDTA's Electric Drive Road Map for Energy Security outlines the key elements of a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the growth of hybrid, plug-in, battery and fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. Wynne cited Road Map recommendations included in the House-passed American Reinvestment and Recovery Plan:

  --  Support for U.S. Battery Manufacturing -- Providing $2 billion to
      support investments in U.S. manufacturing of advanced batteries used
      in electric drive vehicles;

  --  Enhanced Tax Incentives for Recharging -- Increasing the refueling
      property credit to 50 percent of cost up to $50,000, and increasing
      the value of hydrogen infrastructure credits to $200,000 for fueling
      stations;

  --  Expansion of Electric Drive Vehicle Deployments -- Allocating $400
      million to the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program for
      regional efforts to deploy plug-in vehicles, $200 million to support
      deployment of vehicles beyond light-duty to include transit, ground
      support and ports, as well as the deployment of electric drive
      infrastructure. Another $600 million is provided to speed up the
      federal government's effort to replace older vehicles with more
      fuel-efficient vehicles, such as hybrid, plug-in and battery vehicles.

"A comprehensive plan is the best and fastest route for America to electrify the transportation sector," added Wynne.

According to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, if 73 percent of the nation's passenger vehicles were fueled by electricity, the U.S. could displace an estimated 6.2 million barrels of oil a day, about 52 percent of current oil imports. Last year, the U.S. spent nearly $430 billion for imported oil.

Last year, Americans purchased more than 300,000 fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, bringing the total number of hybrids on the road to more than 1.3 million. By 2010-2011, auto manufacturers such as GM, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Tesla and others will offer consumer, commercial and government customers a wide range of electric drive vehicles.

To view the complete Electric Drive Road Map for Energy Security, visit ELECTRIC DRIVE.